216 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



THE GOAT. 



BY ISRAEL S. DIEHL, LATE I'MTED STATES CONSUL AT BATAVIA. 



The breeding and raising of goats lias of late attracted considerable notice, 

 especially among the foreign and laboring classes of our country, as developing 

 one of the most valuable domestic animals, particularly for its milking qualities, 

 at comjjaratively little cost; and producing good, cheap food when useless for 

 milk ; Avhile with others the experiment is attracting still more attention, 

 arising from some new and valuable wool or fleece bearing varieties which have 

 been introduced and successfully acclimated and reared during the last fifteen 

 years. These are new varieties and uses of the goat in this country, though 

 long and well known in Asia, even from the days of Moses, if not from the 

 days of Adam ; for by some naturalists the goat is considered one of the first 

 domestic animals of creation, and is mentioned by Moses and the early Baby- 

 Ionian and Assyrian writers for its fine wool, from which the curtains of the 

 tabernacle and fine cloths and garments were early manufactured. Although 

 a great variety now exists throughout the world, nearly all reliable naturalists 

 maintain that they derive their parentage from the '' Capra JEs^agrus'" or 

 wild goat, that still exists in portions of Asia and the Alps of Europe. Lin- 

 naeus, in his " Systema Natura,'' gives the common goat, " Capra Itircus,'' an 

 oriental origin, but seems to consider it a distinct species. 



Cuvier, in both his editions, considers the "Paseng" (C. JEgagrus) to be 

 the parent stock of all the varieties of the common domestic goat, and as still 

 inhabiting the mountains df Persia. Fisher also speaks of the " Capra JEga- 

 grtii" as being the parent of our domestic goat ; and as they have been domes- 

 ticated for the uses of man for their flesh, fine skin, or wool, or milk, a number 

 of varieties have been originated or created equally varied in difi'erent countries, 

 as those of the horse, the sheep, or the cow. These varieties have become 

 distinct and permanent in different localities according to their use, the varied 

 locality or climate, and the attention given to them, and have thus been, and 

 may continue to be, preserved for ages without change or deterioration, if 

 desired, or may be increased in value and multiplied in numbers almost ad irijin- 

 itum, as is now abundantly proven by the history of the past and the successful 

 experiments of most stock-breeders and naturalists. 



In the east, throughout Asia especially, the goat has constituted from time 

 immemorial an important part of the flock, and been a source of wealth of the 

 people ; and thousands upon thousands of goats may be seen in travelling 

 through India, Persia, Turkey, and other portions of Asia, and some parts of 

 Africa and Europe, more frequently being herded with the sheep of these 

 countries, in order to protect the latter from destruction by dogs, wolves, and 

 jackals, as the goat is decidedly belligerent, not readily frightened or running 

 away, but generally standing its ground, and on the defensive when assailed, 

 often off'ering battle, and pursuing the canine marauder beyond the borders of 

 the flock. 



The Scinde goat, the Maltese, the Assyrian, the Syrian, the Swiss, and 

 other varieties, especially in Europe, have become most valuable milkers, and 

 for convenience and economy to the poor, or where feed is high and pasturage 

 scarce, it has, in many places and instances, supplanted the cow, as it is kept 

 about the house almost anywhere. Especially about towns, villages, and cities, 



